ICSE Total English Class 10 Solution : Chapter 11

Write a composition (300 – 350 words) on any one of the following: [20]

(i)Write a story in which a power cut , on a dark moonless night , plays a significant role .

Answer:- It was my little sister Meera’s tenth birthday, and our house buzzed with excitement. Mother had spent days preparing – ordering a three-tier chocolate cake, stringing up fairy lights, and ensuring Meera’s favorite dishes were ready. I had helped decorate the hall with balloons and streamers, while Meera twirled excitedly in her new pink frock.

By 6 PM, our home overflowed with guests – Meera’s giggling classmates, our beaming teachers, and relatives bearing gifts. The party began beautifully – music playing, children dancing, and the aroma of biryani filling the air. Just as Meera was about to cut her cake at 7:30 PM, disaster struck.

With a sudden pop, all lights vanished, plunging us into utter darkness. A power cut – and on this moonless night, not even starlight entered through the windows. Panicked murmurs rose as children clutched their parents. “The generator!” Father exclaimed, but it was under repair.

For a tense moment, silence reigned. Then Mother’s calm voice cut through the dark: “We have candles in the kitchen drawer.” I groped my way to the kitchen, bumping into furniture, and returned with a box of emergency candles. One by one, tiny flames flickered to life around the room, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

To our surprise, the candlelight transformed the party into something magical. The cake glowed warmly under candle flames instead of electric bulbs. Without music, we sang happy birthday a cappella, our voices blending beautifully in the intimate darkness. Children sat cross-legged on the floor, sharing stories by candlelight while enjoying cake that tasted sweeter in this unexpected setting.

When power returned two hours later, everyone groaned in disappointment. The bright lights felt harsh after our cozy candlelit world. Years later, when Meera and I recall her birthdays, we always smile at the memory of that unforgettable evening when darkness gave us the most illuminated celebration of all – proving that sometimes, the best moments come from unplanned interruptions.

(II)’It is said that faith is taking the first step when you cannot see the whole staircase! Narrate an incident to prove the truth of this statement.

Answer:- The monsoon rains drummed on the tin roof of Sachin’s one-room home as he studied by the flickering light of a kerosene lamp. Outside, neighbors whispered about the “mad boy” who still dreamed of becoming a collector after failing the civil services exam twice. But Sachin remembered his father’s words: “Faith is continuing to climb when you can’t see the top.”

His days began before dawn, delivering milk packets to earn ₹50 for his family. After government school, he rushed to the sugarcane factory for the night shift, keeping his notes tucked between machinery to steal glances during breaks. While friends took construction jobs, he spent Sundays at the district library, carefully copying reference books he couldn’t afford onto scrap paper.

The turning point came during his third attempt. Days before the prelims, his father suffered a heatstroke in the fields. As Sachin sat by the hospital bed, the village grocer taunted him: “Give up this IAS fantasy and drive my delivery truck.” That night, he nearly burned his study notes – until he saw his mother secretly stitching his torn uniform by candlelight, her calloused fingers working despite her exhaustion.

The examination hall smelled of sweat and ambition when Sachin wrote his papers. This time, his answers flowed not just from textbooks, but from lived experience – describing drought relief measures he’d witnessed as a child, analyzing land reforms he’d seen fail in his village.

Results day brought pandemonium. Sachin’s name appeared second on the national merit list, a feat celebrated with fireworks in his district. When he stood on the collector’s office balcony years later – the same spot where he’d first dreamed this impossible dream – he saw his parents in the crowd, their tears washing away decades of struggle.

The staircase had been invisible, but every step – the failed attempts, the mockery, the eighteen-hour workdays – had been solid beneath his feet. Sachin’s faith hadn’t moved mountains; it had given him the courage to keep climbing until he reached them.

(III)Attendance in schools should be optional for high school students.’ Express your views either for or against this statement.

Answer:- For the View: Regular school attendance remains fundamental to a student’s academic success and personal development, particularly during the crucial high school years. While some argue that self-study suffices, the structured environment of classroom learning provides irreplaceable benefits that shape students into well-rounded individuals.

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Ultimately, high schools aren’t just information centers but ecosystems that nurture academic, social, and emotional growth. The classroom’s collaborative environment, structured learning, and mentorship opportunities create foundations that self-study alone cannot build—making regular attendance not just beneficial, but essential.

Against the View: While some argue that high school students should have optional attendance, regular classroom participation remains crucial for academic success and holistic development. The structured environment of schools provides irreplaceable benefits that self-study cannot replicate.

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While entrance exam preparation is important, abandoning regular classes creates an unbalanced approach that often backfires. The most successful students integrate school learning with specialized coaching, using classroom knowledge as their foundation rather than treating it as an obstacle. True academic excellence comes from consistent engagement, not selective participation.

(IV)You were a spectator at a cricket match. Suddenly trouble erupted in the stadium and you witnessed a riot among the crowd. Give a vivid description of the scene.

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(v) Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture and your composition.

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